The King's Consort
by WhenTheThrushKnocks
Summary: Bilbo is severely wounded in the Battle of Five Armies, and Thorin refuses to leave his side until he heals. AU- Thorin, Fili, and Kili are only wounded in the Battle of Five Armies. Sorry if there are any grammar/spelling mistakes, I wrote this on my phone.


**Summary**: Bilbo is severely wounded in the Battle of Five Armies, and Thorin refuses to leave his side until he heals. AU- Thorin, Fili, and Kili are only wounded in the Battle of Five Armies.

Bilbo still remembers the night this all started—the night he realized his feelings for Thorin Oakenshield, rightful King Under the Mountain. He had woken from a recurring dream of his—Azog, the pale orc, finding and killing them. He woke shivering and panting, terrified. He subconsciously moved toward Thorin, for Thorin made him feel safest out of all the dwarfs in the company. Bilbo soon fell asleep, feeling safe near Thorin. He had a strangely realistic dream that Thorin put out an arm and pulled him closer… But that couldn't of actually happened, could it? Thorin never had feelings for him, and that made Bilbo not want to wake up. What kind of life would it be to watch his love marry and love someone other than him? Maybe he could just stay at this half-way place…

As soon as Thorin was able to speak, he asked if Bilbo survived had survived the battle. He already knew the fates of the rest of his company, but strangely no one had told him if Bilbo lived. "Balin, I know how my nephews and the rest of my company is doing, but no one has told me of Bilbo's fate." Thorin said.

"I wondered when you would ask this," said Balin. "He was gravely injured, by far the worst out of anyone in our company. He has not yet awoken."

Thorin's face went white at this news.

"Take me to him." commanded Thorin.

"Thorin…"

"This is not up for discussion!" yelled Thorin.

Balin had seen that look on Thorin's face often enough to know he would not be swayed from his decision now.

"Fine, I will take you to Bilbo, but you must rest when we get there." said Balin, his tone indicating he would not budge on this point, even for the king.

Thorin leaned heavily on Balin's shoulder as they walked towards Bilbo's room. When they reached Bilbo's room, Thorin let go of Balin and sprinted toward Bilbo, forgetting his injuries. He collapsed next to Bilbo and brushed the hair off his pale face.

"Oh, my dear burglar… I should have spent less time debating about my feelings for you and more acting on them—now I may never get to tell you." said Thorin.

Balin, sensing this was an intensely private moment, quietly left the room to give Thorin some privacy.

"My dear Bilbo… Please come back to me." Thorin murmured.

No matter how much he begged, Bilbo did not wake, and when Balin came in not much later, he found the king of the dwarfs curled around the unconscious hobbit.

Bilbo could faintly hear his name being called, but he was not ready to come back yet. There was nothing for him in the land of the living—nothing he wanted, at least. What he wanted—or rather who he wanted—he could never have. He could never produce a mate, so he could never have Thorin, even if the king of the dwarfs was interested in a mere hobbit. But—it couldn't be—it sounded like Thorin's voice calling him back… Maybe he would go back if what the voice was saying was true…

Three weeks, Thorin refused to leave Bilbo's side, even though there was no sign of improvement.

Early in the morning at the beginning of the fourth week, Bilbo squeezed Thorin's hand back, albeit weakly. Thorin was awake instantly, whispering Bilbo's name.

"Bilbo? Bilbo? Can you hear me?" he whispered hopefully.

Bilbo's eyelids fluttered, and he moaned.

"Bilbo! Wake up, please!"

"Thorin?" Bilbo whispered, almost inaudibly.

"Bilbo, you're awake! Oh, Bilbo, I have something to tell you that I should have told you long ago…" he said before he was interrupted by Bilbo.

"I know, Thorin. I was in a halfway place, and I could hear you. I came back—for you." said Bilbo, beginning to regain his strength.

"Then—it does not bother you?"

"Of course not, Thorin. I wasn't going to come back because I believed that I could not have the thing I wanted most in the world - you."

"How long—how long have you felt this way?"

"I woke up from a dream one night and could not get back to sleep, and you have always made me feel the safest, so I moved closer to you. That night I had a dream that I fell asleep in your arms, and that was when I realized my feelings for you."

"That was not a dream, Bilbo. I remember that night. I waited until you were asleep, and then put my arm around you. I have loved you since you proved your bravery by escaping the goblins, but I was scared to act on it, afraid I would scare you away. I should have acted on it sooner, I should have said something, should have told you. It should not have taken you on the edge of death for me to tell you how I feel."

"The only thing that matters now is that we are both well and alive—and perhaps you should tell the others that I am awake?"

Thorin called for Balin, and when Balin arrived, he smiled.

"We have our burglar back! Although I imagine you won't be doing any burgling for quite a while, it is good to have you back. Thorin has been naught but a lovesick puppy these last weeks."

Thorin's face turned red at this, and he scowled. "Just call the others, will you?"

It did not take the others long to arrive, as they had all recovered from their injuries long ago.

"So, does this mean Thorin will finally stop pining and take his rightful place as king?" asked Kili after they had all finished greeting Bilbo, before he could be shushed by his older brother Fili.

Thorin glared, but said "Yes, nephew, it does, however, this depends on the response to a proposal I have for a certain hobbit."

"And what proposal might that be?" asked Bilbo.

"Hush, I will tell you later." said Thorin. "For now, we need to reacquaint ourselves with our friends."

They chattered on for a good long time until a healer came in and told them that they were tiring Bilbo out and needed to leave. He did not try and make Thorin leave—he had long since learned that was a battle best left alone.

When the room had cleared, Bilbo asked Thorin about the proposal he had spoken of.

"It is not something to be asked in public—what I wanted to ask you, my dear Bilbo, is if you would be my royal consort. If I am to take the throne, then I want you to be with me." said Thorin, even though it was on the emotional side, for Thorin usually was not one to discuss his feelings, but for Bilbo he would do anything.

"Of course, Thorin. Did I not just tell you that the only reason I came back was to be with you?"

Thorin smiled, and said that the healer was right, it was time for Bilbo to go to sleep.

He laid down on the bed with Bilbo, and wrapped his arms around the small hobbit, making sure that Bilbo felt safe, just like that first night—the night Bilbo fell in love with him.

"Thorin?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you need a heir? That has been nagging at the back of my mind—I do not know about dwarfs, but hobbit males cannot carry children…"

Thorin smiled into Bilbo's neck. "I do not need a heir. My sister took care of that for me. Fili will take the throne when I die—my only concern in finding a mate is happiness."

"And are you happy?"

"My dear Bilbo, I have not been this happy since long before the coming of Smaug. Now hush, you must rest." said Thorin, kissing the top of Bilbo's head.

Bilbo woke up before Thorin, and when he looked up to Thorin's face he almost thought it was another dwarf. The stress had been cleared off his face, and he was wearing one of his rare smiles. Bilbo silently vowed to make those smiles less of a rare occurrence.

When Thorin finally woke up, he was startled to see that Bilbo was not next to him on the bed, nor was he anywhere in his room.

"Bilbo! Where are you?"

When he received no answer, he quickly dressed and went to see if Bilbo had gone to breakfast with the rest of the dwarfs. Much to Thorin's relief, he had, and was merrily chattering with the other dwarfs, despite his injuries.

"Bilbo! You shouldn't be up and about! You'll hurt yourself!" said Thorin.

"Nonsense. I feel fine, Thorin. I'm not doing anything physical, I'm just catching up with everyone else." replied Bilbo. "I know my limits."

Thorin sighed and sat down next to the hobbit.

"Have you told them of our decision yet?" asked Thorin, quietly.

"I had guessed that that was your announcement to make," said Bilbo.

"Thank you," Thorin said as he stood up. "Dwarfs of Erebor! I have an announcement. In response to Kili's question yesterday, I will be taking my place as King Under the Mountain, but not alone. Bilbo Baggins, my royal consort, shall sit with me!"

All of the dwarfs cheered, for they had known of the two's love for each other long before Thorin and Bilbo had.

Thorin's reign was long, and he was known far and wide as a good and just king. Bilbo stayed at Thorin's side through war and peace, hunger and plenty, sickness and health. They lived for a long time, and when their time came, sailed to the undying lands together.


End file.
